


lost behind words we could never find

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Following
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 00:36:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3467858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike is afraid of losing Debra</p>
            </blockquote>





	lost behind words we could never find

**Author's Note:**

> Comment fic prompt: any, any, what about now?

"Do you still believe it?" 

Debra blinked in surprise, Mike's voice cutting through her reverie. She turned to look at him and his hand tightened in hers, like he was afraid she was going to bolt for the door. A quick glance over his shoulder assured her that Max was still busying  herself in Ryan's kitchen, preparing a tray of sandwiches that no-one was hungry for. Ryan still hadn't returned, was doing interviews with who knew who about Lily Gray's death. 

The scenario played itself out in Debra's mind's eye again and she kept back a shudder with difficulty. "Believe what?" she asked him, not sure what he was talking about. 

"That day... in the woods... on the phone." His voice was halting, and with good reason. More than a year later, they've never talked about what she said that day, about how she'd said her goodbyes to him and Ryan. Neither of them liked to be reminded of that day; it was easier to try to forget it ever happened, draw a line underneath it and move on with their lives and their life together.  

She sometimes was even able to believe it was working, until one or other of them had a nightmare. 

Then the subway murders had happened and the nightmare became their waking life too. 

"What about it?" She knew she sounded defensive but Mike didn't seem to notice. 

"You told me I was a good man," he told her and his voice sounded like it was close to breaking. "Not to lose that. You believed in me, Deb... What about now? After what I did today?"

Debra felt her jaw go slack and she tightened her grip on Mike's hand, her other hand going to his cheek. "You are the best man I know," she told him quietly. "And sure... you could have made a different choice today. But these people..." She shuddered, or he did, she couldn't be sure which. "These people need to be stopped. And after what she did..." She stopped, knowing Mike didn't need to be reminded of his father's execution, that he saw it every time he closed his eyes. 

"I just don't want to lose you too," he whispers and she scooted close to him on the couch, wrapping her arms around his neck and closing her eyes. 

"You won't," she promised. "You never could."

Because something she knows for sure after all they'd been through is that she doesn't want to lose him either, and that they are stronger together than they are apart. 

She can only hope that's enough to see them through. 


End file.
